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Schmeiser pleased with victory over Monsanto

CALGARY, March 19 /CNW/ - In an out of court settlement finalized on
March 19, 2008, Percy Schmeiser has settled his lawsuit with Monsanto.
Monsanto has agreed to pay all the clean-up costs of the Roundup Ready canola
that contaminated Schmeiser's fields.
The issue revolves around unwanted Roundup Ready canola plants that
arrived on Schmeiser's fields. Monsanto refused to reimburse or compensate
Schmeiser for this contamination unless he signed an agreement to not speak
publically on the matter and that he would never sue Monsanto for
contamination.
A significant part of the agreement is that there was no gag-order
imposed on the settlement and that Monsanto could be sued again if further
contamination occurred.
Schmeiser believes this precedent setting agreement ensures that farmers
will be entitled to reimbursement when their fields become contaminated with
unwanted Roundup Ready canola or any other unwanted GMO plants.
"In an indirect way, Monsanto has acknowledged liability for the
contamination of a field by the unwanted appearance of its genetically altered
product," stated Schmeiser in reaction to the settlement.